


Guard You

by littlemarvelfics



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Bodyguard, Bodyguard Bucky, F/M, Kinda, Reader-Insert, Reader-Interactive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-21
Updated: 2019-10-08
Packaged: 2020-07-09 17:02:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19891288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlemarvelfics/pseuds/littlemarvelfics
Summary: Bucky Barnes is assigned to protect you when you turn in a Congressman for working with HYDRA. He isn’t exactly welcoming. What happens whenever Rogers gets involved?





	1. The Arrival

You slouched in your chair in the sleek conference room, taking a moment to reminisce on the past few days. You had been at work, a secretary to a congressman. One day, while preparing his calendar, you saw a note that you weren’t supposed to see. Something about big-name arms dealers and HYDRA. You immediately left the office and took what you knew to the local police. They took you to state police who took you to the FBI who took you here: to the Avengers compound. You were in a room with people meant to keep you safe but you were still worried. Your former boss was a congressman- you knew he had to be powerful. You were so wrapped up in your thoughts that you completely missed your name being spoken until a wadded up piece of paper came flying at your face. You jerked your head in the direction it came from, only to be met with a smirking Tony Stark. 

“As I was saying, you’ll be accompanied at all times. You’ll be staying at the compound with us until we get this sorted out. Tinman here is gonna be your point guy on this. Think of him as your personal servant,” he said, clapping Bucky on the back.

“Or protection,” Steve interjected. “He’s going to stay with you at all times, to make sure you’re safe.”

You simply nodded and gave Bucky a small smile which he ignored. You looked down at your hands, clasped together on the conference table.

“Alright, Barnes- you take her up to her room and get her set up. Everyone else- go pretend to work for a living.”

Everyone exited the conference room, leaving you and Bucky alone. He got up from his chair and walked to the door while you stayed seated.

“You coming? Or are you sleeping here?” he asked.

“Sorry,” you murmured, getting up to follow him.

Bucky quickly weaved his way through the winding halls of the compound, going up a few floors before stopping abruptly in front of a door.

“This is your room. I’m on the left, Steve is on the right. You can ask Pepper to order you some clothes. Don’t leave the compound. I’ll come get you in the morning.”

Before you could get a word in, he was gone, walking into his room quickly and closing the door behind him.

You sighed and opened the door. The room was basic but big. The bed took up most of the space, although there was a dresser, desk and another door you assumed led to the bathroom. You were exhausted from the day so you took off your jeans and shirt before crawling into bed and falling fast asleep.

+++++++++

The next morning you were awoken by a loud pounding on your door. Just when you were about to get out of bed and answer it, the door swung open revealing a pissed off looking Bucky.

“Okay, first rule: when someone knocks on your door- you answer it.”

“I was sleeping,” you defended.

“Well, if you want breakfast, c’mon.”

When he saw you hesitating, he let out a huff, clearly annoyed with your actions. You narrowed your eyes at him and threw back the blanket, revealing your lack of clothes.

“Shall I traipse around in my bra and panties?” you asked sarcastically.

Bucky’s cheeks started heating up, turning a light pink.

“I’ll be right back,” he mumbled.

He returned quickly, tossing you a pair of sweats and a tee-shirt.

“They’re probably a little big,” he said as you put them on. “I’ll ask Pepper to order you some stuff today.”

“Thank you,” you said. “Lead the way.”

Bucky nodded and walked out of your room and towards the kitchen, the smell of breakfast overtaking you. The kitchen was empty when you arrived except for Steve who was having a cup of coffee and reading the paper.

“Mornin’ Steve.”

He put down the paper and smiled at you.

“Morning! How’d you sleep?”

You simply shrugged and Steve gave you a sympathetic look.

“Food’s around, eat whatever you’d like. If we don’t have something you want, let someone know and it can be ordered.”

You nodded once again and made yourself at home, settling on a simple bowl of cereal for breakfast. Sitting at the table with Steve, he offered you his paper saying he was leaving to go get some work done. You were declined his offer, disappointed he was leaving you alone with Bucky who seemed to resent you for some reason. The two of you sat in silence for a while before you broke it.

“So mentioned rules earlier. What are the rest?”

“Don’t leave the compound. Under any circumstances. Anything you need can be brought here. Don’t tell anyone where you are, family, friends no one.”

“Don’t have a family. No close friends either so that won’t be an issue,” you interrupted.

“Stark may have said I was your personal servant but trust me that’s the farthest thing from the truth. I’m here to protect you, that’s it. I’m not your friend, not your confidant.”

“Got it,” you mumbled.

“I have some stuff to take care of. Make yourself at home in the compound but remember, no leaving,” he said as he got up and exited the kitchen.

You watched him leave and rolled your eyes. You couldn’t understand why he was acting like you were the enemy- you were both on the same side! Clearly, Bucky had a problem with glorified babysitting.

You quickly finished your breakfast and wandered around the compound. You ran into Pepper and true to Bucky’s word, she pulled out a tablet and ordered you clothing, saying it would be there by the end of the day. You retreated back to your bedroom and walking into the attached bathroom. You eyed the tub and all the bath products it donned. Quickly making a decision, you filled the tub with warm water, adding a generous amount of bubbles to it. You stripped off the combination of yours and Bucky’s clothes and then settled into the tub. You settled back and let the warm relax the tension in your muscles. You let out a sigh when not even 15 minutes later, you heard pounding on your bedroom door.

“I’m in the bath!” you attempted to yell over the pounding. You heard the door crash open and heavy footsteps walk into the room.

“Dammit, what did I tell you about the door?!” Bucky yelled.

“I’m in the goddamn bath Bucky! What do you want?” you groaned.

“I’m going for a run,” he said through the wooden door. “Stay inside.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” you mumbled, leaning your head back.

You weren’t sure when, but you had apparently fallen asleep in the bath. You awoke to significantly fewer bubbles and cooler water. You were about to pull yourself out of the tub when there was a knock at the bathroom door.

“Y/N? It’s Steve. I haven’t seen you all day and I just wanted to check-in. Me and Nat ordered pizza if you want to join us.”

“That would be great Steve! But…” you trailed off, looking at the pile of dirty clothes on the floor. “I don’t have any clothes.”

“I’ll grab you some things of mine and leave them outside the door. I’ll wait for you outside your room if that’s okay.”

“Perfect! Thanks, Steve!”

You got out of the bath and dried yourself off, stretching out as you did. You cracked open the bathroom door and when you confirmed you were alone, you walked out and grabbed the clothes Steve had left for you. A pair of leggings that you assumed belong to Natasha and a hoodie that was probably Steve’s. You slipped both on and walked out of your bedroom in search of Steve. True to his word, he was leaning on the wall next to your door.

“Hey!” he greeted. “I hope that stuff is okay. I thought you might want something bigger and more comfortable so I gave you one of my hoodies. If you’re not comfortable with that, I’m sure Nat–”

You silence him with a laugh and a shake of your head.

“It’s fine Steve! I appreciate the thought and you were completely right- your hoodie is quite comfortable,” you teased. “I heard you mention pizza and I’m absolutely starving.”

“Right!” Steve said as if he had just remembered himself. “Let’s go.”

Steve lead you through the halls, maneuvering around with the same ease as Bucky. Unlike Bucky though, he took the time to point out different areas to you. He showed you other people’s rooms and common areas for you to enjoy. He finally came to a stop and led you inside a room where the smell of pizza seemed to hit you in the face. Natasha and Wanda were scouting out the best pieces when you arrived.

“Hey, you must be Y/N,” Wanda said in greeting.

“That’s me,” you said with a smile.

“Well, there’s pizza and drinks. We were gonna watch a movie so come on in and make yourself comfortable,” Natasha interjected.

Steve nudged your hip with his own to push you in the direction of the table filled with various foods and drinks. You looked up at him gave him a small smile which he easily returned. You and Steve quickly filled your plates with food and grabbed a drink before walking over to one of the couches that were set up in the room. You sat next to Steve while Natasha and Wanda made themselves comfortable on the other couch. The movie started and you all ate in silence, focusing on the screen in front of you. When you finished, Steve took your plate from you and placed it on the table next to him, pulling a blanket out as well. He flipped the blanket open, easily covering the two of you. It didn’t take long for you to become drowsy, shifting around to try and get comfortable.

“Y/N,” Steve whispered.

You looked over at him and he motioned for you to come lean against him. You hesitated and he spoke again.

“It’s probably more comfortable, just an offer though,” he said with a smile.

You gave in, leaning your head on his shoulder while he wrapped his arm around your shoulder. You felt your eyes closing and snuggled closer to Steve, seeking out the warmth of his body.

You weren’t sure how it had happened, but in the very small amount of time you had known Steve, you were already incredibly comfortable with him. You were worried you would be intimidated by him but it turned out, Steve Rogers was far more than the Captain America persona he put out into the world. And you couldn’t wait to find out more.


	2. The Workout

A week later, not much had changed. Bucky was still watching your every move while making no effort in getting to know you. You and Steve had become quick friends, spending a good amount of time together, mostly on movie nights. You were working your way through movies Steve had wanted to watch since coming out of the ice. Tonight’s movie was Jaws. You were settling in on the couch next to Steve when he wrapped an arm around you and you leaned your head on his shoulder. 

“Can I ask you something?” 

“Of course,” Steve responded quickly. 

“Why does Bucky hate me?” you asked, finally getting up the nerve to ask the question that had been on your mind for the past week. 

“He doesn’t hate you,” Steve reassured. “He just… doesn’t take to new people well. I was supposed to be the one looking out for you. But I have a mission that I have to leave for tomorrow so Tony thought it would be better for Bucky to do it.” 

“Wait, you’re leaving tomorrow?” you asked, completely forgetting about Bucky. 

“Yeah, I am. I was gonna tell you tonight.” 

“Are you gonna be okay?” 

“You sound worried about me,” Steve teased. 

“Me? Worried? Nope. I’m completely and totally chill.” 

“I’ll be fine and so will you,” he said, squeezing your shoulders. 

“Yeah…” you responded, trailing off when you pulled back to meet his eye. 

Steve leaned in slowly, giving you time to pull back if you didn’t want the same thing he did. You watched as his tongue poked out, wetting his lips before placing them gently against yours. When he met no resistance, he deepened the kiss, tangling one of his hands in your hair as he pulled you closer. You kicked off your blanket and threw your leg over Steve, straddling his lap and wrapping your arms around his neck. Steve slid his hands along your thighs before settling them on your ass, pulling you into him. He pulled away a few minutes later, both of you breathing heavily. He kissed you lightly once again before speaking. 

“That’s… not how I wanted to do this,” he said with a chuckle. “I had planned on taking you out on a date before we got to this point.” 

You shrugged, running a finger down his jawline. 

“This way works too,” you said with a grin. 

“When I get back, I’m taking you on a proper date.” 

“Yes, Captain,” you said, kissing him a final time before flipping off him. 

You got comfortable again, snuggling into Steve’s side, smiling when you felt him kiss your head. 

##  **+++++**

Bucky tossed the book he had been reading to the side, it wasn’t keeping his attention anymore. He looked at the clock and realized that Steve was probably watching a movie in the theater room. Movies usually weren’t his thing but he couldn’t be bothered to find anything else to do. Normally he would just lock himself in his room for the evening but he still had to check on you before he secluded himself. Bucky sighed to himself when he thought of you. He knew he had been cold to you but when Tony and Steve said he would be babysitting someone involved with HYDRA, he didn’t exactly have a good feeling about it. Even with the reassurance that you were all on the same side, he couldn’t be too careful. He got up and walked over to the theater room, stopping short of opening the door when he heard your voice. 

_“Why does Bucky hate me?”_ you asked, your voice muffled by the closed door.

_“He doesn’t hate you,”_ Steve responded. _“He just… doesn’t take to new people well. I was supposed to be the one looking out for you. But I have a mission that I have to leave for tomorrow so Tony thought it would be better for Bucky to do it.”_

Bucky stopped listening after that. He knew he had been cold but he didn’t want you to think he hated you. He at least needed you to feel comfortable enough with him to tell him if something had happened. He sighed and cracked open the door, ready to apologize to you. 

When he cracked open the door, he saw you on top of Steve, kissing him passionately. 

Bucky quickly shut the door, not wanting to get caught by either of you. He leaned against the wall and sighed. He had a sinking feeling in his gut about the two of you. Bucky wasn’t quite ready to admit it to anyone else but he had started to develop a crush on you. He had seen you interact with everyone else on the team and had started to seek you out under the cover of protecting you. One night, he watched you make dinner with Wanda, giggling around the kitchen with each other. Another night, he walked into the media room and saw you playing video games with Sam. You were laughing and pushing into him, attempting to distract him from whatever was happening on the screen. He watched you do yoga with Nat in the gym and wished he was the one fixing your form, not that he would have any idea how to do such a thing. 

##  **+++++**

You waved goodbye to Steve and the rest of the team as they left for their mission the next evening. Tony had decided they needed more of the team than he originally thought so it was going to be just you and Bucky at the compound for the next few days. Bucky had been less cold to you earlier in the day. He certainly wasn’t friendly but he seemed more gentle with you. Maybe he was finally realizing you weren’t an undercover agent. 

You wandered blindly around the compound before strolling into the kitchen for a snack. You and Steve had eaten together before he left but you were still hungry- you chalked it up to boredom. You rummaged around the cabinet until you found something to munch on. You heard the fridge open behind you and you let out a yelp, dropping your snacks to the ground in the process. You whipped around and saw Bucky staring at you with a furrowed brow. 

“You good?” he questioned. 

“Yup, great. Never better. You might want to check those master stealth skills though.” 

“What does that mean?” 

Normally, you would assume Bucky was annoyed by talking with you but the smile on his face said something different. 

“It means if I had any fighting ability at all, you would be on your ass. You should be more careful about sneaking up on the innocent.”

“Sorry,” he said with a chuckle. “I didn’t mean to scare you.” 

You looked at Bucky skeptically. He had scared the shit out of you before but had never apologized. 

“It’s all good,” you said, bending down to scoop up your fallen snacks. “Night.” 

You started walking away but you heard Bucky call out your name. You turned to face him again. 

“Do you wanna learn?” he questioned. “To fight I mean. It might be useful.” 

You cocked your head to the side and stared at him intently, trying to figure out if he was being genuine. 

“Yeah… that would be great. Thanks, Bucky.” 

“Now?” 

“Now?” you repeated. 

“Yeah, unless you have a hot date with those Cheetos planned,” he said with a smirk. 

“I’ll postpone for you,” you replied, setting the Cheetos down on the counter. “I’ll go get changed and meet you down in the gym?” 

“Sounds good, you know where it is?” 

“Yup! Steve showed me.” 

“Steve… right,” Bucky mumbled. 

Before you could question his reaction, he was waving and setting off in the direction of the gym. You shrugged it off, Steve and Bucky were close and form what Steve had said, Bucky never really stopped worrying about him, even after he was the famous captain. Bucky was probably just worried about the mission. You walked into your room and changed quickly into a sports bra and leggings before heading down to meet Bucky. 

##  **+++++**

You walked into the gym and saw Bucky stretching out on one of the mats. You took in his appearance quickly, a tight gray tee shirt with basketball shorts, his hair tied into a low bun at the base of his neck. You smiled at him when he looked up at you, walking over to him on the mat. 

“Alright, you’re not gonna have time to stretch if you get attacked but for our purposes, you should stretch,” Bucky rambled. 

You smiled and nodded, following his instruction on how to stretch and warm your muscles so you wouldn’t pull them later on. Ten minutes later, you were ready to go. 

“Okay,” Bucky said coming to stand shoulder to shoulder with you. “If someone is coming towards you, the easiest thing for you to do is a heel palm strike.” 

You nodded intently, carefully listening while he explained the move. 

“Aim for the nose, even if you don’t break it, you’ll make them bleed which will distract them long enough for you to get away.” 

He continued explaining, showing you the move before letting you do it on your own. A few adjustments later, Bucky was grinning at you. 

“Perfect! You’re doing very well.” 

You blushed and dropped your head at his compliment. Bucky had never been this genuine with you. The two of you practiced a few more moves where you defended from the front before Bucky decided it was time to switch gears. 

“Next would be if someone is coming at you from behind.” 

He reset your position, again standing shoulder to shoulder with you. 

“You would bend forward at the waist, and start throwing your elbows back towards their neck.” 

You cocked your head to the side and turned towards Bucky. 

“I’m not sure I quite understand that one,” you said, trying to picture the move in your head. 

“You’re right, it’s better to see it first hand,” he replied, moving behind you. 

“Woah, woah. Whatcha doing there sergeant?” you asked. 

“‘Sergeant?’” he questioned. 

“Sorry…” you said, realizing your mistake. “I shouldn’t… I call Steve Captain as a joke sometimes but-” 

“I like it,” Bucky said with a shrug.

You looked at him with your eyebrow raised, at a loss for words. He just smiled and went to stand behind you. 

“Wait, wait. Shouldn’t we wait for someone else? I’m an amateur. What if I hurt you?” you asked worriedly. 

“I’ll be fine, super soldier remember?” he said, pointing to himself. 

You smiled and nodded, giving him the okay to wrap his arms around your waist. Your breath hitched at the feeling of Bucky being so close but you quickly regained your composure. 

“Bend forward, just a little,” he instructed. 

You did as he said, blushing when your ass pushed into his crotch. 

“Perfect,” he whispered, thinking of everything he could to avoid getting a hardon with you so close. 

“Bring your elbow back to hit the side of my neck.” 

You did as he said, stopping short so you didn’t actually hit him. 

“Perfect, now swing your body and do the same thing on the other side, and then keep rocking side to side, hitting the sides of my neck each time,” he said, his voice sounding deeper and raspy. 

You followed his instruction, swinging your body left and right, pretending to strike the side of his neck each time. Bucky squeezed your waist and you stopped, standing straight again. 

“You’re a natural,” he whispered in your ear. 

You turned around to face him and make a joke but when you opened your mouth, nothing came out, his closeness overwhelming you. You closed your mouth and stared at Bucky for a moment before he leaned forward and kissed you gently before pulling back quickly. He smiled down at you, so you wrapped an arm around his neck, pulling him closer to kiss him once again. You were lost in Bucky until Steve’s face flashed in your mind. 

You pulled back from Bucky harshly, almost losing your balance until he steadied you. 

“Is everything okay?” he questioned. 

“Yes… no… I don’t know,” you rambled, turning on your heel and jogging away from him and towards your room. You heard Bucky behind you and you quickly turned to face him. 

“Can you just… I need to be alone right now. I’ll see you tomorrow,” you said quickly, hoping he knew enough to leave you alone for the time being. 

You took the elevator back up to the floor your room was on, quickly making your way to the door and entering before swiftly shutting it behind you. 

“I’ve been waiting for you,” an unfamiliar gravelly voice said. “You’re causing quite a bit of trouble.” 

You felt a slight pinch on your neck and everything around you became blurry before you felt yourself fall to the ground. 


	3. The Rescue

You opened your eyes slowly, your head pounding and an ache in your neck. You tried to raise your arms to rub the drowsiness from your eyes but the wouldn’t move for their position behind your back. You looked around the room, it was bare except the metal chair you were tied to and the lightbulb hanging above you. You were seemingly alone but you couldn’t be sure, the fuzziness in your head affecting your senses. You didn’t know how long you’d been gone but you could only hope Bucky had realized you were gone. 

++++++++++

Bucky woke up the next morning with a sinking feeling in his gut. He had left you alone the previous night, he knew he had made a mistake by kissing you. When you kissed him back, he was over the moon but when you pushed him away, reality came crashing down on him. You were clearly into Steve, why did he think kissing you was a good idea? He left you alone that night and most of the following morning, knowing you were upset with him. Bucky had just gotten word that the team would be back in a few hours so he went to your room to let you know and maybe even try to talk to you about the night before. 

Bucky walked up to your room and knocked on the door gently, saying your name quietly. When no answer came, he tried again with a little more force but there was still no answer. 

“FRIDAY?” he asked the air around him. 

“Yes, Sergeant Barnes?” the AI quickly answered. 

“Is Y/N in her room?” 

“Yes, she’s been in her room since she arrived back at 10:42pm last night,” FRIDAY confirmed.

Bucky turned his attention back to your door. 

“I know you’re mad, but I have to talk to you. Please just say something,” he said, leaning his ear against the door and waiting for any sound to come through. When nothing happened, he spoke to the AI again. 

“FRIDAY, unlock the door,” he demanded. 

When he heard the lock click, he opened the door slightly. 

“I’m coming in okay? I’m worried about you,” he said as he stepped through the threshold of your room. 

Bucky looked around and didn’t see you anywhere. He checked the bed, the bathroom, he even went so far as to check under the bed and in the closet. But you were nowhere to be found. 

“FRIDAY, you said she was in here,” Bucky said. 

“My reading indicated she is, she’s laying on her bed.” 

“I’m looking at her bed and she’s not there,” he grumbled to himself, knowing something was wrong. Bucky quickly took the elevator to the security room, asking FRIDAY to queue up the video from when you returned to your room last night. He watched the video closely. You had barely come into your room when someone came up behind you and drugged you with something, causing you to slump over quickly. You never even had a chance to use any of the moves Bucky had taught you earlier. 

“Shit, shit, shit,” Bucky mumbled to himself as he pulled out his phone, dialing Steve. 

“Hello?” he answered. 

“We have a problem, Y/N is gone,” Bucky said quickly. 

“WHAT? How the hell is she gone?!” Steve demanded. 

“Someone did an override of FRIDAY’s system. She didn’t send any break-in alerts and when I was in Y/N’s empty room, she was reading Y/N as in her bed.” 

“Dammit, we’ll be there in an hour Bucky. Start searching,” Steve said before hanging up. 

Bucky sighed and started with what he knew, searching for traces of anyone related to why you were at the compound in the first place. The team was back before Bucky had a chance to call with any updates. 

“You had one job Buck! To protect her. But you couldn’t do that?” Steve said as he stormed into the security room where Bucky had been working. “Maybe if you could have put whatever bullshit you have with her aside, you would have been able to do your job and I wouldn’t be the only cleaning up your messes!” 

Steve expected Bucky to fight back but to his surprise, Bucky just nodded. 

“I know, I should have checked on her in person more instead of relying on FRIDAY. But I think I found where they’re keeping her,” he said, pointing to the monitor. 

Steve rushed over and listened to Bucky explain his reasoning, nodding along as he absorbed the information. Bucky had found everything he could, down to the number of guards they probably had on the place. 

“Alright, it’ll take us an hour to get there. I’m not taking any chances here, she’s a civilian and she’s our number one priority. Wheels up in 20,” he said, exiting the room without another glance at Bucky. 

++++++++

Bucky put on his uniform mechanically, the guilt eating at him slowly. When Steve had stormed in yelling at him, he couldn’t even put up a fight. Steve was right, it was all his fault that you were gone. The idea that you weren’t safe was killing him. He knew his only redemption would be to get you back safe. 

+++++++ 

Steve went through the plan one last time; Sam and Tony were on air support, taking out the surrounding guards quickly and quietly so the ground team consisting of Steve, Natasha, Bucky, and Wanda could get into the building and split up, searching the abandoned office building for you. 

Everyone nodded their understanding, the plan was simple and logical, nothing they hadn’t done before. But for the two super-soldiers, the stakes felt higher than ever before. Once everyone had settled in again for the flight, Steve pulled Bucky aside. 

“Why didn’t you check on her?” Steve asked. 

“I don’t know,” Bucky mumbled, attempting to end the conversation but Steve wasn’t giving up. 

“Yes, you do. What was going on? You’ve been all over her since she got here but when it mattered-” 

“I kissed her!” Bucky said, interrupting his friend’s speech. “I kissed her all right? And then we both panicked. She ran off to her room and asked to be left alone. I felt guilty so I did and that’s when they took her. So yes, this is entirely my fault. I get it. Can we drop it and focus on getting her back?” 

“You kissed her?” Steve questioned quietly. 

“Yeah, I did. But she clearly wasn’t into it, so can we drop it?” 

Steve nodded quickly and left Bucky alone, taking a seat next to Sam. 

++++++++++

Everything was going according to plan, the perimeter guards had been taken out and the ground team was doing their sweep. It didn’t take long for them to find the floor where they had you, it was the only heavily armed area. Bucky nodded at Natasha when she looked at him, signaling she was ready when he was. Bucky pulled his knife out of its sheath and charged at the same time Natasha did. He barely registered taking down the guards, his only focus was to get you out of there. Natasha called the other to the floor they were on before quietly and slowly entering the area where they could hear a man talking. 

The first thing Bucky saw was you, stripped of most of your clothes, tied to a chair with your head hanging forward limply. He saw the slight rise and fall of your chest, reassuring him that you weren’t dead. But based on the amount of blood pooling around you, he didn’t have long to get you out of there. The man holding you must have sensed the movement behind him, quickly crouching behind you, blocking any shot Bucky or Natasha could have taken. Bucky recognized his face instantly- Congressman Murray, the man you had turned in as a HYDRA operative. 

“Come any closer and I’ll kill her,” he said quickly. 

Bucky saw movement behind him, the flash of red, white and blue that he knew so well. Steve’s shield flew through the air, missing you but hitting the Congressman straight in the back. The force was enough to cause him to fall slightly, Steve moving in to restrain him before he could get back up. 

Bucky ran over to you quickly, taking his knife and cutting the binds that held you to the metal chair. Without anything supporting you, you fell limply forward into Bucky’s arms. 

“Bucky?” you mumbled. 

“Yeah, it’s me doll. Don’t worry, I’ve got you. I’m gonna get you outta here.” 

Out of the corner of his eye, Bucky could see Steve coming over and Natasha calling for an emergency evac.

“Bucky, ‘m sorry,” you slurred. “It all happened too fast.” 

“I know, it’s okay. Just stay with me.” 

“Tell Steve I’m sorry too,” you said quietly, not realizing he was right there. 

“You can tell him yourself when we get you fixed up,” Bucky said frantically. 

Bucky heard the boots of the paramedics running into the room. 

“They’re here, Y/N. You’re gonna be okay,” Bucky reaffirmed. 

There was no response from you, just deafening silence.


	4. The Letter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the final part! I hope you all enjoy it!

It wasn’t until a month later when Bucky finally heard your voice once again. **  
**

“Steve?” you mumbled, your voice hoarse from disuse. 

“It’s Bucky doll. Steve will be here soon,” Bucky replied, only slightly hurt you had asked for Steve instead of him. 

You nodded slightly before trying to sit up, groaning as pain erupted in your side. 

“Woah, woah. Take it easy,” he said, gently placing his hand on your shoulder to steady you. “You got pretty banged up. You’ll be okay but you’ve gotta take it easy.” 

“What happened Bucky?” you asked quietly. 

“What do you remember?” he countered. 

“Waking up in that warehouse place. It’s all fuzzy from there.” 

“All we really know is that you took one hell of a beating. Broken ribs, fractures in your legs and arms. A crack in your jaw. But we got you out of there, you’ve been in a medically induced coma for about a month because of the swelling in your brain.” 

You looked at Bucky with tears in your eyes. Before they could fall, he gently took your hand and squeezed it. 

“But we got the Congressman. Everyone involved in your case is either dead or in a maximum security prison. You’re safe now. We all made sure of it.” 

You were about to answer when Steve walked into the room, his eyes lighting up when he saw you up and talking. 

“You gave us all quite a scare,” he said with a laugh. 

“I heard,” you replied with a small smile. “Bucky filled me in.” 

You saw Steve quickly frown as his eyes flitted over to Bucky briefly. He looked over at you again and smiled before changing the subject. 

“How are you? Do you need anything?” he asked as he sat on the opposite side of your bed from Bucky. 

You started to answer but you were interrupted as Bucky got up from his chair, gesturing that he was leaving. 

“Thanks Bucky, for everything,” you said sincerely. 

He gave you a nod and a small smile before ducking out of the room. 

+++++++++ 

It had been two months since you were released from the hospital. You had been staying at the compound upon Steve’s request, he insisted that you would be safer and it would be easier for you to heal that way. You couldn’t disagree so you stayed. You spent most of your time with Steve, Bucky was suspiciously absent. Eventually, you were finally able to get Nat to fess up; Steve knew that you and Bucky had kissed. He wasn’t mad at you apparently, just with Bucky. You had tip-toed around the subject, never able to catch Bucky and Steve shrugging you off, seemingly unconcerned with your guilt and you were tired of it. You had to do something, even if it hurt. 

+++++++++

Bucky walked around the compound aimlessly, no particular destination in mind as he let his boredom guide him. He found himself in a place he rarely found himself, the library. It’s not that he hadn’t wanted to catch up on books, he just found reading them on a tablet more enjoyable. He wandered the shelves, running his flesh finger along the books that lined the walls. 

Bucky couldn’t help but notice how beautiful the room was. Large windows let the natural light filter in, Bucky could see the flecks of dust floating through the air. There was an overstuffed armchair sitting by the window, positioned to face outside where the trees surrounded the compound. On the table next to the armchair, there was a notebook that Bucky had seen you carrying around lately. 

He knew he shouldn’t look but he couldn’t help himself. Bucky saw you scribing in the book often, though he could never tell if you were writing or drawing. Looking back at the door, he quickly flipped open the book. They were sketches and you were talented. He quickly recognized the landscapes, they were different places around the compound. There were a few other sketches of different objects before the pictures took a turn. The lines got harsher and the shading got darker. He recognized the place quickly. It was the place you were temporarily held captive. The pages had different moments of that day. A faceless girl being tortured, a gun laying on the ground and a few others. 

But the tone of the images changed with the flip of the page and Bucky recognized the subject quickly. It was himself. But himself in a way he had never seen. He looked… happy. Looking objectively, the man in these sketches would never have seen or done the things Bucky did, this man looked innocent. There was no doubt that the person who drew them, felt some amount of admiration for the subject. Bucky smiled to himself as he put the notebook down. Maybe you weren’t as uninterested as he thought. 

++++++++++

“She’s gone,” Steve said as he walked into Bucky’s room. 

“What?” Bucky asked, looking up from his book. 

“Y/N, she’s gone.” 

“We have to go get her then! What do you mean she’s gone?! Everyone involved-” 

“Bucky just… read this,” Steve said, handing him a piece of paper. “I’ll be in my room when you’re done.” 

Bucky nodded as he took the paper, waiting for Steve to close his door before he unfolded it. The top of the letter addressed it to both men in your handwriting. Bucky read the letter silently. 

_Dear Steve and Bucky,_

_By the time you find this, I’ll be gone. I’m safe, I promise. But I can’t stay at the compound anymore and I think we all know that. It’s causing tension and I can’t be the reason for it anymore. I have a life I need to get back to and figure out._

_Steve- you are one of the sweetest guys I’ve ever known. You make me laugh and you make me feel cared for and safe. In another life, I think we could have made something work. But it’s too complicated for this lifetime._

_Bucky- I’m not sorry we kissed. I’m sorry I ran. I didn’t know what to do. But I need you to do me one last favor (saving my life wasn’t enough). I need you to forgive yourself. Nothing that happened that day was your fault._

_I care for both of you so much and I can’t stand to see what this is doing to you. Please, for me, try to work it out. You need each other more than you’re willing to admit. I know that you could easily find me so I’m asking you to refrain. Nat gave me contact information for both of you- I promise I’ll use it if I’m ever in a situation. Thank you both for everything._

_All my love,_

_Y/N_

Bucky read the letter over and over until the words started to bleed together. You were really gone.


End file.
